Samsung is going all in with Windows 8: it's delivering an ARM-based tablet that uses the RT build of Microsoft's newly launched operating system, as well as two x86-based tablets that run the full OS.

With the ATIV range, the hardware maker is trying to maximise its appeal to enterprise and business buyers by covering all the bases. Traditionally, the company has focused on consumer markets.

"The difference for us at Samsung [to rival manufacturers] is that we have historically built the business up as a predominantly consumer electronics brand, where we're at now is that we are very serious about how we work with the B2B channel and B2B end users," said Graham Long, head of IT at Samsung UK and Ireland.

"The last couple of years has been a journey whereby we've needed to establish the systems, processes and right people," he added.

The RT tablet shown here, the ATIV Tab, has a 10.1-inch, 1,366-by-768 pixel display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a forward-facing 1.9-megapixel camera for video calling.

(Image: Ben Woods)

On the rear of the Samsung ATIV Tab, there's a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash, capable of capturing full HD stills or 720p video footage.

It also has a micro-HDMI out port, Bluetooth 4.0 and some Samsung features such as a ChatOn mobile, a cross-platform IM service, Samsung Hub, and a Samsung Picks section in the Windows 8 app store.

(Image: Ben Woods)

On the edge of the ATIV Tab's chassis is a microSD expansion slot that will support cards up to 64GB, and the tablet comes with 32GB or 64GB of internal storage as standard.

It has a full-size USB port, and buyers can choose to add 3G or 4G LTE connectivity.

Samsung has not said how much the tablet will cost nor when it will launch in the UK.

(Image: Ben Woods)

The ATIV Tab runs the RT version of Windows, which means it can't use existing x86 apps developed for Windows 7 or Windows 8. By contrast, the ATIV Smart PC (shown) uses the full-fat version of Microsoft's new OS, which can run either 'Windows 8 style apps' (formerly called Metro) or traditional desktop apps.

Launched first at IFA at the end of October, the ATIV Smart PC is a tablet with an 11.6-inch, 1,366-by-768-pixel display that can dock into a keyboard for a more laptop-like experience.

(Image: Ben Woods)

The ATIV Smart PC is powered by an Intel Atom Z2760 (1.8GHz) Clover Trail processor and an Intel SGX545 graphics processor. Other key hardware specs are the 2GB of RAM, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera for video calling, and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera for stills and video capture.

Alone, the tablet weighs around 750g and measures just 9.9mm thick. When docked into the keyboard, it weighs 1.48kg and measures just under 20mm thick when closed.

It comes with the S Pen stylus found with the Galaxy Note II and other Samsung products, as well as with associated features like S Note - both likely to appeal to enterprise users. It has Samsung's Allshare and Family Share functionality for viewing files across all networked devices, too.

The UK pricing and availability for the ATIV Smart PC have not yet been announced.

(Image: Ben Woods)

The ATIV Smart PC Pro is similar to the Smart PC but uses an Intel Core i5 processor (or Core i3 processor) rather than the low-power Atom processor from the same chipmaker.

The Pro has the same size screen as the Smart PC (11.6-inches) but provides a higher-resolution display at 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. Like its stablemate, it has one forward-facing 2-megapixel camera and one 5-megapixel snapper on the rear.

Other key specs of the ATIV Smart PC Pro are 4GB RAM as standard, optional 3G or 4G connectivity and a promised battery life of around eight hours.

The ATIV Smart PC Pro is similar to the Smart PC but uses an Intel Core i5 processor (or Core i3 processor) rather than the low-power Atom processor from the same chipmaker.

The Pro has the same size screen as the Smart PC (11.6-inches) but provides a higher-resolution display at 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. Like its stablemate, it has one forward-facing 2-megapixel camera and one 5-megapixel snapper on the rear.

Other key specs of the ATIV Smart PC Pro are 4GB RAM as standard, optional 3G or 4G connectivity and a promised battery life of around eight hours.

With a psychology degree under his belt, Ben set off on a four-year sojourn as a professional online poker player, but as the draw of the gambling life began to wane his attentions turned to more wholesome employment.With several years' experience covering everything in the world of telecoms and mobility, Ben's your man if it involves a s...
Full Bio